Repair-shop referral kit

Companion to "How to Get Car Rental Referrals From Local Repair Shops." Print what you need. Each sheet stands on its own.

One-page partner offer (fill in and leave with the shop)
First-contact script and follow-up email (only if the shop asks for one)
Shop contact log
Availability handoff checklist (one per referral)
Who does what
Insurance claim and direct-billing record
Referral tracker and monthly review
Worked example (hypothetical)

Spreadsheet versions: referral-tracker.csv (blank), referral-tracker-example.csv (hypothetical rows only, marked EX- and "Hypothetical"), shop-contact-log.csv (blank). The tracker CSV has the same 15 columns as sheet 7, with "dates needed" split into from and to. They hold no formulas; add your own totals.

Follow your local email marketing rules. This isn't legal or insurance advice.

1. One-page partner offer

Fill in the blanks, print on your letterhead, and leave one with the shop's front desk.

replacement cars for your customers

When your customer needs a car while theirs is in your shop, give them our card or booking link:

Booking link:

Call or text:

What we do

We check availability, confirm the renter qualifies, quote the price, take the deposit, check coverage, sign the rental agreement, and handle extensions and the return.

What we ask of you

Hand out our card. Or, with your customer's OK, send us only their first name, phone number and the date they need a car.

What we will never ask of you

Collect driver's licenses, insurance papers, claim numbers or payment details. Promise that a car is free. Promise that insurance will pay.

We also won't share your customer's rental details unless the customer says it's OK.

Details

Vehicles:

Pickup address or delivery area:

Hours:

Questions: Phone:

Email:

No referral fee is offered on this sheet. If you later want to offer a fee or perk, first ask whether the shop has agreements with insurers that limit it.

2. First-contact script

Use in person at a quiet time, or on the shop's published business phone number. One visit or call, then at most one follow-up.

"Hi, I'm from , a local car rental company. Do you ever have customers who need a car while theirs is here? I put together a one-page sheet. If a customer needs a car, you just hand them our card or link, and we take it from there. We check availability, rates, deposits and paperwork with the customer directly. We'd never ask you to promise a car or say insurance will pay. Can I leave this with you? And what's the best way to reach you if I have a question?"

If they say yes

Leave the offer sheet and a few cards.
Write down their preferred contact method in the shop log. Use only that method.
Ask: "Is there a time of day that's bad for calls?"

If they say no

Thank them and leave.
Mark the shop "do not contact" in the log. Do not follow up.

Follow-up email: send only if the shop asked you to email the sheet

Do not send this as a cold email. Send it once, to the address the shop gave you, and only after they asked for it. Write in your shop log who asked and when.

Subject: The one-page sheet you asked for, from

Hi ,

You asked me to email our one-page sheet when we talked on . Here it is. If a customer needs a car while theirs is in your shop, they can book at or call . We handle availability, the quote, the deposit and the paperwork directly with the customer.

This is a promotional message from (business name).

(your name)
(business name)
Postal address:
Phone:

To stop hearing from us, reply "stop" or call the number above. We will not contact you again.

Why the template has these parts:

The promotional line tells the shop up front that this is about your business.
Your postal address and phone show the shop who you are and how to reach you.
The "stop" line gives the shop an easy way out. Keep all three parts in every email.
Record where you got the address and who asked for the email.
Stop on request: mark the shop "do not contact" in your log the same day you get a "stop."

3. Shop contact log

One row per shop. Never contact a shop marked "do not contact."

Shop name	Type	Published phone or email	Where published	First contact (date, method)	Contact role	Preferred method	Email requested? (who, date)	Offer left?	Follow-up date / done?	Response	Do not contact?

Before you add a shop

Renters can reach your pickup spot from this shop, or you can deliver there.
Your vehicles fit the shop's typical customer.
A typical customer could meet your age, driver's license, deposit and coverage rules.

4. Availability handoff checklist

Print one per referral. Referral ID: Shop:

When the referral arrives

The customer contacted us directly, or the shop sent only first name, phone and date needed, with the customer's OK.
No driver's license, claim number, insurance document or card detail came through the shop. (If it did, ask the shop not to send it again and handle it under your privacy practices.)
Logged in the referral tracker today.

Before we say yes

A car is free for the dates. The shop never promises availability.
Asked: self-pay or insurance claim?
Payment path set: the renter pays us (default), or a separate written direct-billing agreement is on file (sheet 6). An insurer's approval alone is not a direct-billing agreement.
Renter meets our normal rules: age, driver's license, ID check, coverage.
Rate, deposit, extension and early-return terms sent in writing.

Before keys go out

Agreement signed. It says what the renter owes if an insurer pays late, pays less or denies part of the bill.
Deposit taken.
Expected return date recorded and tied to the repair estimate:
Renter asked to tell us the same day the shop gives a new date.
Nothing about the renter shared with the shop unless the renter said it's OK. If the shop asks: "I can't share customer details, but thanks for the referral." Optional, with the renter's OK only: "Would you like me to tell the shop you're set?"

If the repair date changes

Car still free for the extra days?
Updated quote sent in writing.
Insurance rental: the renter asks the insurer handling the claim about the extra days. Direct billing only: extra days confirmed in writing before we rely on them.
Early return: handled under the cancellation or early-return terms we quoted up front.

5. Who does what

Share the shop column with partners. Keep the rest for your team.

Task	Shop	You (operator)	Renter	Insurer or adjuster
Share your contact details	Yes
Confirm availability		Yes
Qualify the renter		Yes	Provides documents to you
Quote the rate		Yes
Take the deposit		Yes	Pays
Pay for the rental		Collects	Pays you	Pays you only under a written direct-billing agreement
Check coverage		Yes	Provides proof	Tells the renter what the claim covers
Sign the agreement		Yes	Yes
Approve an extension		Yes	Asks you	May approve more claim days
Run the return		Yes	Returns the car

What the shop should never do

Promise a car is available.
Promise insurance will pay, or say how much.
Collect or forward driver's licenses, claim numbers, insurance papers or payment details.
Give the renter a return date on your behalf.

What you should never do

Tell the shop about the renter without the renter's OK.
Treat an insurer's approval as a promise to pay you.

6. Insurance claim and direct-billing record

Use for insurance renters. Part A is the default. Fill in Part B only if the insurer or adjuster signed a separate written direct-billing agreement with you. Never fill it in from a phone promise or the shop's estimate.

Referral ID: Renter:

Our daily rate: $ Days booked:

Part A. Payment path (check one)

Renter pays (default). The renter pays our full rate and asks the insurer handling the claim to pay them back. We do not need their claim papers.
Direct billing. A separate written agreement is on file. Fill in Part B.

If no direct-billing agreement: the renter pays the full rate. An approval of a daily amount and days is what the insurer told the renter it will cover. It is not an agreement to pay us.

Part B. Direct-billing agreement (only if one is signed)

Direct-billing agreement on file? (Y/N): Where it is filed:

Insurer: Claim number:

Adjuster or billing contact (name, phone or email):

Bill to (address or portal):

Payment terms (when the insurer pays):

Daily amount the insurer agreed to pay us: $ Days agreed:

Daily difference the renter agreed in writing to pay: $

Extensions

Date	Extra days requested	Car still free?	Updated quote sent?	Direct billing only: extra days confirmed in writing?

Check the math

Rental charges before tax = our daily rate × days = $

Renter pays (default): renter is billed the full rental charges above.

Direct billing only: insurer bill = agreed daily amount × agreed days = $

Direct billing only: renter bill = rental charges − insurer bill = $

Coverage, daily limits and approved days depend on the renter's policy, fault and location. An insurer may pay late, pay less or deny part of a bill. Your written rental agreement should say what the renter owes then. Deposits are not earnings.

7. Referral tracker

Log every referral the day it arrives. Record rental charges before tax. Do not count deposits.

Outcome options: Completed, Canceled, No availability, Not qualified, No reply, Open (still in progress). Payment path: Renter pays (default) or Direct billing (separate written agreement on file). Same columns as referral-tracker.csv, which splits "dates needed" into from and to.

ID	Date received	Shop	How it arrived	Self-pay or insurance	Dates needed (from / to)	Car free?	Quoted in writing?	Outcome	Days	Daily rate	Charges before tax	Payment path	Notes

Monthly review, per shop

Shop	Referrals	Bookings made	Completed	Canceled	No availability	Not qualified	No reply / open	Charges before tax (completed)

Referrals = completed + canceled + no availability + not qualified + no reply/open.
Bookings made = completed + canceled.
"No availability" rows: is the shop asking for a car type or dates you could add?
"Not qualified" rows: is this shop's customer a poor fit for your rules?
Small numbers: do not rank shops on a handful of referrals. Keep tracking for several months.

8. Worked example Hypothetical

Made up to show how the tracker works. Not results from a real business.

Ref	Shop	Type	Outcome	Days	Rate	Charges before tax	Payment path
1	Shop A	Self-pay	Completed	5	$60	$300	Renter pays
2	Shop A	Insurance	Completed, extended 3 days	10	$60	$600	Renter pays
3	Shop A	Self-pay	Booked, then canceled when the repair finished early	0	$60	$0	Renter pays
4	Shop B	Self-pay	No car available	0		$0
5	Shop B	Insurance	Did not meet age rule	0		$0

Referral 2, step by step (default path: renter pays)

Period	Days	Rate	Renter pays us
First booking	7	$60	$420
Extension after parts delay (car still free, updated quote sent)	3	$60	$180
Total	10		$600

The renter said their insurer would pay them back up to $45 a day. That part was between the renter and the insurer.

Same rental, if a direct-billing agreement had been signed

Days	Insurer bill ($45/day, under the written direct-billing agreement)	Renter bill ($15/day, by written agreement)	Total ($60/day)
10	$450	$150	$600

If the insurer paid less, the rental agreement would say what the renter owes.

Monthly review

Shop	Referrals	Bookings made	Completed	Canceled	No availability	Not qualified	Charges before tax (completed)
Shop A	3	3	2	1	0	0	$900
Shop B	2	0	0	0	1	1	$0
Total	5	3	2	1	1	1	$900

Five referrals are far too few to judge either shop or draw conclusions. Shop B's two referrals may point to a fleet gap and a rules mismatch, not a bad partner. Keep tracking for several months.